VampireS Sumo

The principles of leadership in the Greek Society involved a concept
known as ar’te, which served as a basic depiction of masculinity in
back then. Given the profoundly gender defined society that existed in
Greece, it is not surprising that the qualities of a strong leader
mirror those of an upstanding male. Ar’te basically contains four
parts–courage, honor, virtue, and manliness. The first of these
qualities, courage, deals with a person’s ability to stand up to
danger or trying circumstances. While courage finds its most
prominent display on the battlefield, facing up to difficult
leadership decisions can also be a method of showing courage. Honor,
a key part of ar’te, can be obtained by honoring the gods, thus
staying on their favorable side. By serving one’s community and
state, one may also earn honor through either humble or glorified
service. Virtue, perhaps the most interesting of the ar’te
qualifications, has nothing to do with the modern definition of virtue
which one might compare to morality, but rather involves looking out
for the best interest of one’s state. Finally, manliness served as a
key qualification of leadership in Greek society. In the very
patriarchal Greek society, it is not surprising that manliness would
be found as a qualification for an effective leader.

Honor, as the second aspect of ar’te, can best be seen by observing
how the characters honor the gods. Clearly, Aeneas and Antigone prove
honorable before the gods as they give up personal comforts or
pleasures for the desires of the gods. Aeneas shows himself to be
more honorable than Antigone, however, as his sacrifice lives purely
in the desire to follow his destiny set forth by the gods. Despite
his great love for Dido, he almost immediately surrenders his every
desire for her in order to follow his destiny to Rome. In his defense
for leaving to Dido, Aeneas says, ‘Apollo orders, and his oracles Call
me to Italy. There is my love, There is my country’ I follow Italy not
because I want to Aeneas’ loyalty to his destiny despite his wanting
to stay with Dido shows his honor. Antigone displays almost
equal honor as she follows what she knows to be the
will of the gods in providing burial for Polynices.

Tiresias confirms her honoring of the gods as he proclaims their judgment over the
actions of Creon. Her motives, however, lack in purity, as she finds
herself somewhat driven by the selfish desire to be united with her
dead relatives. Though her primary purpose seems to be pleasing the
gods, her secondary motive makes her honor slightly less impressive
than that of Aeneas. In contrast with Aeneas and Antigone, Creon
seems at least on the surface to fail miserably in honoring the gods
as they leave him in torment with his wife and son dead as a result of
his misdeeds, but he salvages some honor though his initial desire to
please the gods of the city. He believes that the polis gods would
never have a traitor honored in the same respect as a hero, and though
his belief is incorrect, he gains honor from doing his best to look
out for what he believes to be in the best interest of the polis. As
to Dido, the edict of the gods that she fall madly in love with Aeneas
skews Dido’s honoring of the gods because their command alters her
life most dramatically. Her position of honoring the gods becomes
somewhat confusing as she follows their will by loving Aeneas, yet in
loving Aeneas, she wishes the destiny set forth by the gods for him
altered. Her torn state leaves her lacking in the essential
leadership honor displayed by the other three characters.

Throughout both the Aeneid and Antigone, the characters of Aeneas,
Dido, Antigone, and Creon step forth as true leaders in their various
contexts, but in accordance with both Greek and Roman standards of
leadership, Aeneas rises above the rest as the strongest, most
effective leader. While Antigone emerges from the pack as an almost
equal rival by Greek standards, Aeneas′ qualities of courage, honor,
virtue, and manliness make him an incredible Greek leader, while his
excellent portrayal of the stoic Roman leader, in harmony with his own
nature places him clearly ahead of the other characters in Roman
leadership effectiveness. Gender clearly plays a prominent role in
the characterizing of a strong leader, thus Aeneas shines forth as the
most effective leader while Antigone remains constrained by society’s
gender bias.

Mary Anne has been writing for essaycapital.com/ custom essay writing service for 5 years.You can ask her about essaycapital.com/college_essays.php college esays or ma-dissertations.com/ dissertation writing service.

Printing your own digital photos at home is becoming a widely accepted practice among photographers of all skill levels. And whether you shoot snapshots or more serious photography, there is a photo printer for you, that will allow you to quickly and easily turn out great looking prints in no time right at home. There are mainly three kinds or types of photo printers available for home use and here is the information that you need to be able to choose from among them.

The first kind of photo printer is the smallest of the bunch and they are dedicated snapshot printers. They really only have one function and that is to quickly and easily print 4 X 6 snapshots from your camera’s digital photo files. All you have to do is just hook your digital camera up by a cable and start printing. The output from these small printers is usually very good, and they have the advantage of not taking up much space in your home. The disadvantage is that you can only get snapshots from these printers, as enlargements are out of the question. They also cost quite a bit for their size. But for those who only like to print snapshots anyway and who have to be space conscious, they can be a great solution.

The next kind of photo printer is the full size inkjet printer that is commonly associated with printing documents. These larger printers can handle not only snapshots, but even enlargements as well, on up to 8 X 10 or even larger in some cases. They can also be very easy to use, many of them coming with the PictBridge feature that lets camera owners hook up their digital camera to the printer and print their photos without having to upload them to the computer first. But they can also be very versatile and accomplished too. Many of these type of photo printers can turn out excellent photos that easily rival or even surpass those from a photo lab. Of course, the higher quality image that you desire the more money you will have to pay, but for serious photographers, a high quality inkjet photo printer can be just what they need.

The third kind of photo printer available is the all-in-one printer/scanner/fax machine type of unit. These are incredibly versatile tools for a home business, and the photo printing output from many of these printers can be surprisingly good too. Their biggest drawback is their size, as they can get very large since so much is being asked of just one piece of equipment. But for those that need all of those kind of machines anyway, getting the photo printing option that comes along with it is just an added bonus that can be very useful.

So which kind of photo printer is right for you? That is only a decision that you can make taking into consideration your own photographic needs and equipment space considerations. But using the tips above should help you be able to narrow down your choice more easily.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including digital photography. You can find the photographyconsumerguide.com/photo-printers.html best photo printer and photographyconsumerguide.com/index.html photo printer reviews by visiting our Digital Photography website.

Online bingo is becoming extremely popular around the world. This new form of playing bingo is taking over the old hall bingo format, which everyone thinks of when you mention bingo. Now the internet brings new bingo games, some that are designed exclusively for women. These bingo websites have tantalizing and evocative visuals, superb internet bingo and other games, popular internet chat facilities, great playing incentives and some attractive bingo online winnings. All these factors are making the relatively old-fashioned game of bingo exciting and sexy for their players. Women players from around the world are signing up and joining in this new and exciting sexy online bingo.

The main attraction when starting up your online bingo experience is that many professional bingo websites offer free registration. This means that to play your first game of bingo, and to become part of the bingo online community, players need not part with any cash up-front. In fact, many of these sexy bingo games attract players by offering rewards and loyalty schemes in the form of points, which can be transferred to cash, but the attraction for bingo players is to receive loyalty points after registration. Therefore, when trying your first game of online bingo, there is nothing to lose and everything to gain. It is no wonder that this is fast becoming one of the most popular online games available.

There are many different tantalizing attractions for players to benefit from online bingo, not only free loyalty points upon registration, which allows you to play without depositing any money, but you are given an opportunity to win and make money from those points.

Now, many players will find that their chosen bingo online game will match your first deposit with 100% matching bonus, and from then on a 50% matching bonus for each deposit – this is ultimately giving you more points to play with, so why would you not try it? With all these financial attractions, it is not hard to understand why this online game is becoming so popular.

Online bingo games also mean that you can choose your favorite style of bingo game, whether you prefer 90 ball bingo or 75 ball bingo, you have the power to choose and play your own game of bingo. For online bingo players there is no software that needs to be downloaded, removing all complication and confusion. Players can jump online and start playing whenever it suits them, what more do you need or want when you play bingo? Well, there is always more to be gained, besides great cash prizes, players can become part of our online bingo community, and make friends with common interests. All the pull-cards are out, if you love the game of bingo, you are certain to enjoy the new online sexy game of bingo.

Phil Smulian is a writer for

First telecast in the Fall of 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond became an instant favorite among TV audiences, a love affair that would last for nine memorable seasons. Following on the heels of a series of successful sitcoms starring stand-up comics - Seinfeld, Home Improvement, The Drew Carey Show, etc., Everybody Loves Raymond drew upon the comedic talents of Ray Romano who plays the role of the title character Ray Barone…

A successful Long Island-based sportswriter, Ray and his wife Debra (Patricia Heaton) enjoy a happy marriage and the company of their three children - daughter Ally (Madylin Sweeten) and twin sons Geoffrey (Sawyer Sweeten) and Michael (Sullivan Sweeten). But they also happen to live directly across the street from Ray’s parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts), who take it upon themselves to enter their son and daughter-in-law’s house whenever they wish (without knocking) and dispense advice and sometimes insults. Joining Frank and Marie is Ray’s brother Robert (Brad Garrett), a divorced policeman, who periodically lives with Frank and Marie and is often jealous of Ray’s idyllic life. Together, they create the perfect loving and dysfunctional family…

The Everybody Loves Raymond DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in which Debra and Ray, sick of Ray’s parents and brother showing up uninvited, conspire to keep their nosy relatives out of the house… Other notable episodes include “Frank, The Writer” in which Ray’s father attempts to become a newspaper columnist like his son, and “Turkey or Fish” in which Debra and Marie engage in an unofficial competition to see who can cook the best Thanksgiving dinner… The Season 1 DVD also includes guest appearances by sports icons Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Terry Bradshaw, Barry Bonds, Katarina Witt, Tommy Lasorda, Marv Albert, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Desmond Howard…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Everybody Loves Raymond (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 09-13-1996
Episode 2 (I Love You) Air Date: 09-20-1996
Episode 3 (I Wish I Were Gus) Air Date: 09-27-1996
Episode 4 (Standard Deviation) Air Date: 10-04-1996
Episode 5 (Look, Don’t Touch) Air Date: 10-11-1996
Episode 6 (Frank, The Writer) Air Date: 10-18-1996
Episode 7 (Your Place Or Mine?) Air Date: 10-28-1996
Episode 8 (In-Laws) Air Date: 11-01-1996
Episode 9 (Win, Lose Or Draw) Air Date: 11-08-1996
Episode 10 (Turkey Or Fish) Air Date: 11-22-1996
Episode 11 (Captain Nemo) Air Date: 12-13-1996
Episode 12 (The Ball) Air Date: 12-20-1996
Episode 13 (Debra’s Sick) Air Date: 01-03-1997
Episode 14 (Who’s Handsome?) Air Date: 01-17-1997
Episode 15 (The Car) Air Date: 01-31-1997
Episode 16 (Diamonds) Air Date: 02-07-1997
Episode 17 (The Game) Air Date: 02-21-1997
Episode 18 (Recovering Pessimist) Air Date: 02-28-1997
Episode 19 (The Dog) Air Date: 03-03-1997
Episode 20 (Neighbors) Air Date: 03-10-1997
Episode 21 (Fascinatin’ Debra) Air Date: 03-17-1997
Episode 22 (Why Are We Here?) Air Date: 04-07-1997

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a thedvdreport.blogspot.com movie review site where you can find more reviews like this one of the thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/everybody-loves-raymond-dvd.html Everybody Loves Raymond (DVD) Review.

Port of Poseidonia: the Lesbian’s Villainess’ Dagger
[Memories of Ais]

Let us not all believe Atlantis and the underworld with its demonic forces did not have its secrets, and dark powers beyond, for it surely did. And this sketch will bring forth, some of them.(Part X)

1
Relationships

Tame, she wasn’t—thought Ais—.

Remember the scribe Anases? Well his wife, Alexandria was a lover to General Marcus’ wife Juliana; a somewhat conflicting if not bewildering love circle of sorts, except the men didn’t know, or at least Anases didn’t know of the ongoing affair, and if the General knew, he was silent about it, and was mostly absent [gone] for the most part.

A pulse in her temple throbbed sickeningly as if in a daze, pacing about the landscape of the watery grave of Atlantis, remembering the many battles Atlantis had in the Mediterranean: its island and coastal areas. For years the Atlantians had beaten the crumbling walls of the Greek cities to submission. Oh, yes, they held out long, but not long enough. Egypt fell early on during its history with Atlantis and Crete was an outpost, sort of you could say, during this time.

In those far off days there were many traitors in the cities, some with sinister anticipations, and others in despairing fears. The General, General Marcus a hairy muscular bruit of a man with broad-shoulders, big headed man, with a dervish temper, was in Africa doing what he liked best, did best, loved to do: the kill, the hunt, for in many a warrior, it becomes a high, and at times hard to settle the internal mood for blood drown. He was like a wild saber-tooth tiger, as his wife was quite the opposite, yet Alexandria was more toward his style [Anases wife], funny how opposites attack. But it was similar to how they all met: Alexandria being attracted to Anases whom was more sedate, was obviously attracted to Juliana, and had made her move early on after their first meeting. And Juliana being attracted to Marcus was subdued by Alexandria, as she was by Marcus [with a little blackmail possibly]. In both cases of Anases and Juliana, one might say they were if anything: passive-dependent. And through many of such meetings, between husbands and wives, a love affair came about with Alexandra and Juliana. What was it that made them stay to gather: Juliana had once said?

“My insides play games when I’m with Alexandria; sometimes she takes my hand, only my hand for a very long time, yes, for a long time we remain silent, then something creeps inside of me, it starts out to be a feeling deep down inside I can’t shake; sometimes my hands tremble. It is what men do not understand, the soft voice of a woman, with a caress, a kind of sincerity too. We get each other in a more subtle way. It last longer you know. It takes longer to understand also. There is something colorless, white and fine about it. Possibly it is something like: ‘I’ve longed for this.’”

But Alexandra was changing, what seemed to be love, was lust, a Satanic kind of lust, a lust that craved like a bull, a lust that took at will, and a hunger for something even more stimulating each time, like a drunk caught in a never ending cycle.

2
Eco

It was one summers day in the Port of Poseidonia when Ais was walking with two Royal Archeguards, one, the Captain of the Guards, by the name of Eco, passed a flat-roofed house with barred windows, as he was always a step ahead of the Queen on her right-hand-side, just a foot ahead, no more no less, to insure no harm would befall her. There, from the alley came another scream, a female scream—high pitched. The sound that cried was not for help, but out of pain, out of panic, for she had twisted that kind of scream herself, the queen told herself so it was unsuccessfully familiar, she had produced such a scream twice in the past, once because of the king, and the second time because of the long ordeal with Aon [love making] or so that was what it reminded her of: both times selfish love, love that demanded of her, not with her.

As they approached, came to the door the screams were seeping out of them like flies whizzing around in circles: Eco opened the front door, and the queen followed him in, as the other guard followed behind, sword in hand. The Queen blinked her eyes several times to adjust to the comparative darkness. Now she could hear a struggle beyond the curtain divider where a bed was, a portion of it was visible. Light through the window behind the bed illuminated the area from the darkened hall.

There lay on the bed a young Ethiopian woman, at closer view it was Juliana, the wife of General Marcus, and on top of her was Alexandra, the wife of Anases, whom had a dagger in her hand. Alexandra was of a burnished bronze skin and Juliana was of a dark silk like skin; Juliana several years younger than Alexandra. The black girls face was wet with angry sweat, and tears; the Egyptian dagger but inches away from her throat.

The Villainess

The victim, to be, her clothing had been torn off, exposing her fully, as Alexandra had her wrap opened, exposing her upper portion of her body. At that moment, Ais commanded Umbert, the second royal guard, to grip the woman’s hand and stop the violence, and thus do with her as he pleased, which was really, to get rid of her, once and for all. At that point the dagger dropped out of her hands, as Umbert escorted her out of the house by the hair, and threw her in the street, telling her never to be seen again in the city, for she was an embarrassment to the Royal Family.

The black girl tried to put her torn clothing back on, unspeaking, yet devouring everybody with her dark deep eyes. There was an innocent charm about her no doubt, thought the queen, a young bride at seventeen to the crude and gruesome general, General Marcus, whom was three times her age. She had never told her husband of her affair with Alexandra, nor had Alexandria told Anases [all secrets within the love circle]; as the queen had never told her husband of her lustful affair with the nymph, Aon.

It was told to the queen later on (some months after this event took place) that Alexandria had run off with a Hippokamp, in fear she’d be killed, or starve to death on her own in the city, but the queen knew it wasn’t Aon, or hoped it wasn’t for some hidden jealous reason. Its funny, we don’t want to leave our nest, nor do we want anyone other than us, in our old nests, those we left far behind that is.

3
Juliana

“Who—who are you?” asked Juliana looking up from the bed meeting the Queens eyes directly, with her squeaky high pitched voice, young tearful voice, as if trying to get out of a trance.

“Ais, Queen of Atlantis,” she replied with a majestic countenance.

“I was, was—Alexandria’s lover, as you could see, and she, she became lost in some kind of spell. She has whipped me and other things and I think she became desensitized and the next level of lustfulness was beyond sex, rather watching me die.”

She didn’t know the word, but what she was trying to say, and what she really didn’t need to say was she became desensitized to simple love making and its other highs; that is to say, she needed a higher high. She needed to be drugged.

Ah, but even the Queen was taken in a bit back by her silk firm and tight body, youthful body with its curves, as if she had taken care of herself royally to achieve what every lover desired, male or female. As she had to turn about to examine her, she noticed lacerates that seemed to be made by long finger nails then the examine stopped and Juliana involuntarily fell to her knees by the Queen, touching her legs saying:

“Oh, please forgive me for such foolishness, for I have enticed her in the beginning, I just didn’t think it would go this far; lust has its cravings does it not.”

She then ordered lotion for her, and Eco went to get it while the other Umbert stood guard by the door; the Queen then covered her up gently, slowly, putting the covers with her fingers over her fatigued body as if they were feathers, soothing her wounds.

See Dennis’ web site: dennissiluk.tripod.com dennissiluk.tripod.com

I hope to see you again
or maybe me
in this comfort zone
gentle zone I formed with sand.

I’ve narrowed it down at least
made lists
still incomplete
yet I live here.
People move
pardon the mess
I am on my way
I will be whole no matter what i think right now.

Ahh the blood stain
that you left behind
you were looking for another victim
and something sacred to hide
I bend to those conclusions
yet still
all the while
I paste bandages over my mouth.

Seclusion
my martyr
do we need an ambulance?

I am still thinking of your voice
or someones
whimsical musicians artwork
yet I do not hear those good intentions
no matter how hard I listen.
They have been left by the wayside
that I am now.

This voice
it says to run.
All I can say is…
how?
You seem to see my reflection
every where I go
I do go.

This voice has rivers
it flows over
but freeze in the winter.

Where is winter?

My best friend
time out
winter
my best friend.

I am embedded in the moon
I did not admit to it before
and yet I am.

The cloud that succumbs me
hides me in the shadows.
Its not about me or you
no bell to chime.
Don’t count on me
whimsical musicians artwork
or stupid rhymes in poems.
No one that I know can feel their breathing.

Such a bad predicament
I continue to repair it.
No dollies here though
no hair to comb
no smudges patched
no
real love tells you to fly
fly
home.

ABOUT Kathy Ostman-Magnusen

I paint and sculpt female fantasy art and map faery tale adventures. I dream of beautiful women on canvas and art of exotic women.

I have illustrated for Hay House Inc.,”Women Who Do Too Much″ CARDS taken from Anne Wilson Schaef’s book. I also illustrated for Neil Davidson, who was considered for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing, and several other publications. My paintings are collected worldwide.

Giclee canvas art work, greeting cards & posters are available for sale on my website:

kathysart.com kathysart.com

Sign up for my mailing list FREE ART GIFTS: Drawings of whimsical angel pictures, legends of mermaids & fairies in art. Tiny angels & mermaids for shrink art, or coloring pages. Also a “Letter From the Tooth Fairy”. Ya just never know when you might need one!

ACEO’s: Art Cards Editions Originals or ATC’s: Art Trading Cards are highly collectable. My new Squidoo site gives you a preview of mind before they are put on Ebay.

squidoo.com/kathysaceo squidoo.com/kathysaceo

I step out onto the dust
feel it touch my sins.
I know its time to move forward.
I thrive in the mystery of what can be.
I fold up all the symptoms of regret.
I see its torment.
I speak wisely to myself
and yet
I know myself too well.
I will stand before my paintings
brush in hand
ready for the strokes
I touch another dimension
I hold its mystery.
I sing to the music
hear its intrusion
it soaks up discontent.
I wipe my brow
I take cotton
wipe the blood away.

Dark fantasy art
fantasy art wallpaper.

I struggle unwisely at times.
No way to move past corners.
I wake up to what could be
host it all with coffee.
I sit and plan my stride.
I reach inside my pocket
full of lint.
‘Stop it!”
I say.
Stop all the disbelief
and contend with unpainted canvases.
They wait
they decide my fate if I let them.
I coat myself with vinegar and soap
I will wash away these nightmares
thirteen times.
Oh and yet no
toss and turn
who will I be today?

Dark fantasy art
fantasy art wallpaper.

Blankets cover up potential
sure things.
Sentimental musings
untidy kitchen
blinded by the knowledge
of well meant affirmations.
Clearly I am allowed
allow myself
to come into a vision.
Yes, I sigh
despite my back and forth
troubled mind
at times.
All is well.
That is what I choose for this moment
that is all I need to see.
Paint on I tell myself.
Dream and make glitter out of nonsense.
Retreat to where I know I am magic.

Dark fantasy art
fantasy art wallpaper.

9 February 2007
Kathy Ostman-Magnusen

————————-

ABOUT Kathy Ostman-Magnusen

I paint and sculpt female fantasy art and map faery tale adventures.
I dream of whimsical angel pictures, legends of mermaids and fairies in art. Tiny angels whisper fantasy art, these innocent angels guide me. I also paint fantasy art of exotic women. Sign up for my mailing list for FREE ART GIFTS. I will from time to time offer free magical gifts. Free poems, whimsical musicians artwork, fantasy art of exotic women, I’ll also have a bit of fairy advise and gifts ideas! Giclee canvas art work, greeting cards and posters available for sale as well.

I have illustrated for Hay House Inc.,”Women Who Do Too Much” CARDS taken from Anne Wilson Schaef’s book. I also illustrated for Neil Davidson, who was considered for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing, and several other publications. My paintings are collected worldwide.

kathysart.com kathysart.com
kathysart.blogspot.com kathysart.blogspot.com

On May 31, 2000, a show by the name of Survivor hit the TV screen. It’s been on for 6 years. On June 11, 2002, another show by the name of American Idol debuted. It seems to get bigger and bigger every year. Add to these two shows like Fear Factor, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and a ton of others and you have the biggest TV craze since Dallas and the string of night time soaps. The question is, why all the fuss? What is it about reality TV that makes more people tune into some shows than vote in presidential elections? We may not have the reasons but we’re going to examine some of the possibilities.

To understand the fuss with reality TV you first have to understand what it is. Supposedly, it’s TV that features real people instead of actors. In other words, your every day John and Jane Doe. It’s hard not to root for your next door neighbor unless he’s blasting the stereo at 2 AM and you’re trying to get some sleep. So yes, it’s easy to understand that you’re pulling for the little guy here. Somebody who under normal circumstances would be working at a Burger King somewhere and not on national TV during prime time. But there has to be more than just that. After all, most people are pretty dull to watch, especially doing every day things.

Well, reality TV is far from every day. When you have shows like Fear Factor where people eat bugs or shows like Survivor where people are stranded on islands for weeks on end, the term “every day” is the farthest thing from what these shows are. If anything, most reality TV is more bizarre than your typical TV sitcom. And maybe that is part of the allure. Seeing real people in totally unreal situations and watching them turn into TV stars. And if you think none of them do turn into stars, do the names Richard Hatch and Clay Aiken mean anything to you?

But maybe the biggest allure of reality TV is to see just how far these shows will go. Because they are depending on real people for their entertainment, they have to come up with some pretty far out scenarios and concepts to keep our attention. Let’s face it, for every Richard Hatch there are a hundred nobodies who’s names you’ll never remember, let alone their performances, if you can call them that. Many a fan skips the first few weeks of American Idol just to get past all the horrible singers that they’d normally have to endure. If it weren’t for Simon, the show would be unwatchable at times.

And maybe the reason reality TV is so big is because we simply have nothing better to do with our time and we look for any excuse to sit in front of the tube and watch whatever is on. Sure, some reality television is pretty good, but there is quite a bit of it that leaves a lot to be desired as far as entertainment value. Yet, we keep coming back week after week.

There must be something to it. One day we just might figure out what it is.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to reality-tv-guide.com/ Reality TV

If you want to know how to write poetry, the first thing you have to do is write some. It doesn’t matter how it turns out. Your own mistakes will become your teachers. Your own writing will motivate you to greater creativity. Now, once you start the process, how do you improve it? Here are three tips.

1. Use nouns and verbs more than adjectives. Which is stronger: “She was as beautiful as a flower…” or “Roses wilted in shame as she passed by…”? “He looked at the depressing clouds…” or “He watched as dark clouds moved in, covering his sky…”?

2. Don’t tell the reader how to feel. Let the words elicit the emotions directly, without explaining. “The tragedy touched them all,” is more touching to the reader as “Men and women, doctor and workman… thirteen people looked upon the scene… with tears in their eyes.”

3. Use dramatic and emotional words. Not all words are equal in their ability to “grab” a reader or elicit emotion. “Fell,” “take,” and “love,” will probably be weaker than “plunged,” “siezed,” and “worship.”

Look at the following lines, written two ways. The second way applies the three rules above. (From the poem “Gratitude.”)

1.

The mountains and lakes were beautiful

I looked at them, heard them and smelled them

And I felt in awe

2.

Mountains stand against the sky

My little lake at their feet

And in the middle of this creation

Which I see with my eyes

Hear with my ears

Smell and taste…

Words fail, as they should

I hope you agree that the second version is better. Again, if you want to know how to write poetry, you have to start writing. Use these and other rules to help you, but remember that all rules in poetry need to be broken at times. Read your poems aloud to yourself and others as a final “test.”

Steve Gillman has been playing with poetry for thirty years. He and his wife Ana created the game dealapoem.com Deal-A-Poem, which can be accessed for free at: dealapoem.com dealapoem.com

The hand I’m going to talk about in this article is AK, the Big Slick. Sure, it’s a premium starting hand and you don’t get dealt it too often. But when you do I bet you find it hard not to get carried away and think you now are a huge favourite to win the hand, take down the pot, watch your chip stack grow and give you a boost towards winning the poker tournament.

Though I advise caution my friend. Being dealt that Big Slick can just as easily lose you a tournament as it can help you to win it. They key is how you play your AK. And that’s certainly not an all-in push with abandon. Sure, if you’re short stacked and want to make a stand then it doesn’t come much better than AK for making a stand. However, would you automatically stick all your chips in the middle each time the Big Slick comes your way. Of course not.

If you look down at your hole cards and see AK, take a brief moment and think about it before rushing to part with your stack quicker than an F1 car away from the start line. Review a few things. Are you in early, middle or late table position. What’s your chip stack size in relation to your opponents are a couple of questions you may wish to ponder before acting.

If in early position, or there have been no callers or raisers before it’s your turn to act, then there can be no doubt that you must raise, and raise well, in an attempt to drive opponents holding lessor hands from the pot. A nice raise of three or four times the big blind is usually enough. It says you are strong and should force those with marginal hands or rags to muck their cards instantly.

If in middle to late position or the small or big blind position and there have been raises before you or perhaps even a re-raise then folding your AK could be the right thing to do in the context of the tournament. Those raisers ands re-raisers before you could holding big pairs AA, KK for example. If they do then you’re behind pre-flop even with your Big Slick. The consider folding argument also applies if you have raised the pot from early position and are subsequently re-raised.

Remember at all times that although your AK looks huge it is only ace high and unless that improves on the flop then you are in trouble.

When the flop comes down study it carefully. It is about a two to one chance that the flop will throw you an A or a K to give you a pair. If you get no help from the flop then think very hard about committing any more chips to the pot. A continuation bet is probably the thing to do if you are first to act post-flop to represent to your opponents that your pre-flop raise was no joke and the flop has improved your hand even if it hasn’t.

The flip side to that of course is that if the flop has not improved your hand then your AK is beaten by any player left in who has hit a pair on the flop or was holding a pair pre-flop. If anyone comes out firing with a tasty bet post-flop then get out of there and live to fight another hand. You’re still in the tournament.

Don’t keep throwing in chips hoping to hit something on the turn or river. You will most likely lose them and possibly even the chance of an in the money finish if your stack is damaged badly by your rush of recklessness.

In summary, when the Big Slick comes along don’t get dazzled by it. Play it sensibly. Again, remember that it is only ace high unless improved on the flop. And even if it is improved by the flop you can still be behind and beaten. Do not overplay AK. If you think you are behind then fold and get out. You will still be alive in the tournament to play some poker and wait for another opportunity to build your chip stack and finish in the money.

By Andy Machin. Get your FREE poker ebook from